Business and Other Briefings
BIS: A pilot scheme launched 2 months ago to help small businesses & sole traders secure credit has already helped 200 firms. Aimed initially at the trade users of the Kingfisher group of stores – Screwfix & B&Q’s Tradepoint – the scheme has so far enabled small firms to secure credit of £500,000, with more trade customers in the pipeline to use the scheme.
This alternative type of finance has been made available using an extension to the government’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. The aim of the pilot scheme is to make credit more widely available to those viable businesses in the construction industry who struggle to secure the support needed to meet the upfront cost of materials.
HSE: Local authorities are being banned from unnecessary health & safety inspections under a new code which came into effect last week. The Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) statutory National Enforcement Code for local authorities will instead target proactive council inspections on higher risk activities in specified sectors or when there is intelligence of workplaces putting employees or the public at risk.
It will see tens of thousands of businesses removed from health & safety inspections which are not justified on a risk basis, including most shops & offices. Checks will continue on poor performers and at sites where there are higher risk activities, such as cooling towers, where life-threatening legionella bacteria can develop, and buried liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) gas pipes which can create an explosion if corroded.
BIS: Over 3,500 engineers, students & apprentices have already signed up to a flagship industry scheme designed to match engineering talent with new job opportunities, it has been announced recently. The national web-based Talent Retention Solution (TRS) brings together specialists whose jobs may be at risk or people who want to work in engineering - with companies that are looking to recruit skilled staff to satisfy growth in their companies.
Launched in 2011, TRS, was created by business for business. The scheme has now grown to include over 600 companies of all sizes supporting a number of sectors including aerospace, electronics, energy, construction and automotive. This number of companies on TRS is set to nearly double with the addition of the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and British Glass as the latest sponsors of the scheme. Their participation in the scheme will immediately allow their member companies automatic access to TRS.
